gun cleaner and lube during a match?

J

jim-alex

New member
I'm looking for suggestions for the best cleaner/lube to use during an indoor match. I don't want to use something like Gunscrubber - it cleans well but strips all lube and is pretty obnoxious to use indoors, both for me and the guys in the next lanes. The product I'm after has to clean, lube, do it quickly without swabbing, smell reasonably OK, and not carry a stack of health warnings. Does anything like this exist?
Regards, Jim
 
No, but CLP/Breakfree comes close. I use a BoreSnake with Breakfree to keep things under control between stages.
 
Blades67:

Thanks. I was looking at a variety of products at the range and was thinking that CLP/Breakfree was about as close as I was going to get. Always like to hear from people who have used specific products.

Regards, Jim
 
How about cleaning the barrel with Simple Green and lubing it with BreakFree's oil. Neither item smells bad.

I never understood the cleaner/lube concept. A cleaner is supposed to take something off and the lube is supposed to leave something on. How you can have one product do both things simultaneously boggles my mind.

It's just like the cleaner/waxes for cars. What EXACTLY is this product supposed to do?

I should go before my head explodes.
 
You might try Ballistol Lube. Its one of these do everything multipurpose "luber-cleaners". On the spray can it says: "non-toxic, no carcinogens, no cfc's, usda authorized (H2)" I'm not sure what all that means; but, a particularly health conscious, gunstore owner (I think he may have allergies) recommended it. I think it might serve your purpose to give the gun a quick once over. Take care.

P.S. On the can it also states:"forms protective film on green plants against incests and fungi, Use 1-2 oz. in one gallon of water."
 
I don't get it. Why would you need to clean and lube DURING the match?

I have a little experience with PPC, and intend to start shooting IDPA this summer, I have already reserved a time slot for my first match. :) Is the round count so high that you lead up your barrel?

Anyhow, my standard procedure is to clean the gun the night before and then send one magazine downrange to foul the bore and make sure the load I am using is okay (it always is, but it is a confidence boost to see a nice tight group) and then I shoot the match. I feel as long as I have my gun well oiled, and am using quality ammunition, I don't have anything to worry about.
 
Iamnotanut: Its not really DURING the match, maybe a better way to say it is between matches. Sometimes I shoot three or four matches of 60 shots each each. I don't want to "clean" my handgun, just blow out some of the crud that accumulates at the breech and ramp. I have had several of cases where I start getting jams/failure to feed and I think that if I can just blow out some of the crud, add a little lubrication between matches, I might avoid a future jam. Last time I shot, a jam in a 7 yard "giveaway points" stage cost me 30 to 40 points, so instead of a nice 570 to 580 round, I shot a 540. That certainly does not help
your average.

Once a guy next to me had a can of Gunscrubber, he probably used used a half a can on a revolver. The smell hung around despite the air handler at the indoor range. I just want something for a quick spritz that won't offend the other shooters.
Regards, Jim
 
There are several things I can think of that would fit the bill. The first that comes to mind is a spray can of Breakfree CLP, or any other brand of CLP. After blowing out the gunk, just wipe off the excess. A spray can of Eezox would do as well.

There are also several spray-on preservatives/light lubricants that would probably fit the bill as well, including Birchwood Casey Sheath, Shooter's Choice Rust Prevent, RemOil, etc.

Another product that sounds promising for your application is Castrol/Hoppe's Field Cleaner, which claims "its special formula contains powerful solvents to remove residues and prevent jamming. It also contains synthetic lubricants to ensure good sliding action and maintain tolerances."

I would strongly recommend against anything like Gunscrubber, Gunk Out, etc. These are powerful cleaners and degreasers, but will leave the gun without any lubrication. Unless you intend to relube after spraying the degreaser, you may well be in for malfunctions. If you want an all-in-one product, make sure it either has a light lube, or doesn't degrease to the point of removing all the lube from the gun.
 
Cleaner AND Lube?

Mikul, it is not inconsistent to have one product that both cleans and lubes. The job of the cleaner is primarily to loosen powder fouling. As such it contains solvents that dissolve powder residue (and possibly some metal fouling) and carry away anything else combining with the fouling like old lube, bullet lube, dirt, etc.

Many of these products have a solvent carrier that evaporates. Once the carrier evaporates, the remaining product serves as a lubricant and preservative.
 
Try MPro7 Gun Cleaner. It is expensive, but a little goes a long way and it lives up to its hype. Nontoxic and no smell and I think it actually CLEANS my hands when I use it. They make a superior lubricant as well. Website is mpro7.com.
 
jim-alex,

I use the CLP and BoreSnake between match stages to cut my cleaning time after the match. I'm not concerned with lead build-up because I only use copper plated and/or jacketed bullets.

IamNOTaNUT,

I always start a match with a clean gun. I don't foul the bore before a match because I won't have a chance to do that before a defensive engagement. I also don't foul the bore of my hunting rifle, I think it is important to know where each shot will strike, especially the first one.
 
jim-alex -

Thanks for the explanation, I was a bit confused there as my competition shooting hass been limited to the reals of 60 round PPC matches. I haven't shot more than one match in a day, so I had no clue about what you were taalking about.

blades67 -

I agree with you regarding a defensive engagement. However I train enough to know the difference between a PPC match, which is a game and is NOT reality based, and combat style shooting.

In PPC you are looking for a very small group centered on the X-ring, so consistency from shot to shot is critical. I don't play like most of the guys though in that I am not shooting squib loads in heavily customized guns. Of course I am not shooting 600's either. :)

More important for me than a fouling shot is the fact that I get to shoot a test magazine after completly cleaning and lubeing my pistol to make sure everything is working as it should. Yeah, I know everything is fine and the gun will work, but it still helps me to relax and gives me peace of mind. So I do it.
 
IamNOTaNUT-

Like the Gatorade saying goes "How do you get up for the game?" As long as it works for you it is all good.
 
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